Teen's request for help part of ploy

STOCKTON - A man who thought he was going outside to help a stranded motorist instead found himself in a confrontation with armed robbers Tuesday afternoon in north Stockton, police said.

The victim was at his home in the 8700 block of Cherbourg Way about 3 p.m. Tuesday when he heard a knock at the door. When he opened the door, he encountered a teenage girl who asked him for jumper cables. When the victim walked outside to get jumper cables out of his car, a teenage boy walked up behind him and tried to snatch the gold chain from his neck, police said.

The victim held on to the chain momentarily, but the boy pulled out a handgun and fired one shot into the ground, authorities said. The victim threw the gold chain and fled on foot.

The robbers fled west on Hollywood Drive in a white four-door Buick with large chrome rims, police said.

One suspect was described as a black male 16 to 17 years old, 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 8 inches tall and 140 to 150 pounds with short black hair, a white T-shirt, red shorts and red shoes, authorities said. The other suspect was described as a black female, 16 to 17 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 120 pounds with a red shirt and red shorts, authorities said. Police said there was another black man involved in the robbery, but they had no further description of him.